Strainer for milk cans, pails, and the like



, N. 1. VAN NESS. STRAINER FOR MILK CANS, FAILS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FIL'ED MARHZT, I920- 1,421,622. a en ed ly 4, 1922.

r 59 W, H IU' Cl." Wan Cfias arise 51 m.

raiser QEEFWE.

NORMAN J. VAN mass, or w'Ysox' TOWNSHIP, BRADFORD coun'rx, PENNSYLVANIA.

STRAINER FOR MILK CANS PAILS, AND THE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it. known that I, NORMAN J. VAN Nnss,

new and useful Improvements in Strainers.

for Milk Cans, Pails, and the like, of which thefollowing is aspecification.

This invention relates to'strainers for milk cans and similarreceptacles, and one object of my invention is to provide a strainer-forapplication to milk cans or like receptacles by means of which the milkmay be thoroughly strained during the operation of pouring it into thecan.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a strainer having anoutlet and a filter agent therein, combined with means for sealing thejoint between the wall of the outlet and the filter'agent to prevent anyof the milk from discharging without being strained, and also to providea filter agent wherein a layer of absorbent cotton may be employed inconnection with wire gauze without liability of the cotton becomingentangled in the meshes of the gauze and obstructing the flow of themilk through the strainer. v The invention consists of the features ofconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fullydescribed and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the.de-

v1ce. vFigure 2 is a vertical section through the bottom of the deviceand the strainer applied thereto.

.Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a bowl-shaped filling funnel orvessel open at its top for the reception of the milk and having anoutlet 2 at its bottom for the discharge of the. milk, said outlet 2being formed by a downwardly projecting neck 3. Secured across theoutlet 2 at this point.

of junction with the interior of the body of the funnel is an inner orprimary strainer comprising a gauze diaphragm 4:- This diaphragm loperates to strain the milk before passing into the outlet 2. Y

Mounted upon the neck 3 is a strainer comprising a cylindrical cap 5formed to fit snugly about the neck and detachably secured in positionin any preferred manner.

In the present instance I haveshown fastening meansof the bayonetomttype com- S pecification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1922.

"Application filed March 27, 1920. Serial No. 369,229.

prising substantially L-shaped slots 6 forf'ned at diametricallyopposite sides of the cap or cover for interlocking engagement with pinsor studs 7 on the neck 3, but any other suitable-type of fastening meansmay be employed.

The cap 5 is formed with a discharge opening 8 in its bottom and isprovided with an inwardly extending horizontal flange 9 bounding saidopening. This flange 9 is varranged to underlie the lower edge of theneck 3 and iscoextensive in width with an annular rubber gasket orwasher 10 seated upon the edge of the neck 3, between which flange 9 andgasket 10 is clamped a strainer 11 of novel construction, which I willnow proceed to describe.

The strainer 11 comprises upper and lower layers 12 and 13 of fine meshwire gauze and an lntermediate layer 14 of absorbent cotton.

These layers lie snugly in contact with one another and are clamped bythe pressure of the flange 9 against the elastic gasket 10, which iscompressed and clamped against the lower'edge of the neck 3, by whichconstruction the strainer 11 is securely confinea in position while thegasket 10 serves as an elastic support therefor and also as a mediumfortig-htly closing the joint bet-ween the cap and the neck, thuspreventing leakage of any milk through the joint and ensuring that allthe milk which is being discharged will pass through the strainer 11.

By the use of upper and lower layers of wire gauze disposed on oppositesides of the intermediate absorbent cotton layer, a plurality of'filtration layers of a desired fine mesh are provided to prevent theoutward passage with the milk of-any particles of impurities or refusematter. Such gauze layers furthermore form opposed baokings for theabsorbent cotton layer, allowing a layer of this material to be employedwith advantage. The absorbent cotton-also may be of any desiredthickness, and its particles are retained in position by the elasticyielding pressure of the gauze layers in such manner as to keep thecotton layer intact and prevent such particles, when the cotton layer isfully soaked or moistened, frombecoming displaced. and entangled in themeshes of the gauze layers and choking the same so as to obstruct thepassage of the fluid therethrough. By this means a strainer medium ofabsorbent cotton, which is highly resistant to the passage of the finestimpurities and 'germ -life, may be employed with a high degree ofefficiency, thus ensuring the straining from the discharging milk of allimpurities contained therein;

It will be understood that the elastic, gasket not only serves thefunction of a sealing medium, but, by its elasticity, allows suflicientclamping pressure to be applied to [the gauze'layers to hold said gauzelayers and'the absorbent cotton layer in position, without the objectionincident to a rigid clamping action under. which the gauze. layers mightbe clamped so tightly as to clamp and pack the cotton layer to toogreata density. Hence the cotton layer may be held with. sufiicientforce to retain its particles in position and sustain the same againstthe pressure of the liquid, while avoiding any such close packingthereof as to interfere with the free discharge of the milkfrom thefunnel.

In the use of the device, the funnel 1 is placed in position so that theneck 3 with applied filter will enter the neck of the can, the milkbeing then poured into the top of the funnel and flowingthrough thestrainer diaphragm 4, whereby it is relieved of a portion of itsimpurities, and then through 'the'neck 3 and into the can. In itspassage filtration medium are Well known, but difficulty has heretoforebeen experienced in employing the same as a straining medium on milkreceptacles, owing to the fact that it has been found impossible in themodes in which it has been heretofore employed, to

prevent the cotton from packing or its particles from choking andobstructing the flow of milk through any gauze surfaces in connectionwith which it has been employed.

'- My invention overcomes these difliculties and allows this valuablefiltration medium to be used; in an efficient manner for the pur osedescribed.

aving thus fully described my invention,

1 claim: v p

A filling funnel for milk cans having a discharge neck, a cap fittedupon the neck and formed with a discharge opening and an inturnedhorizontal flange surroundlng said opening and underlying the edge ofthe neck, a strainer resting against said flange and composed of upperand lower layers of elastic gasket sealing the joint between the sidewall of the cap and the edge of the neck,= said gasket being of greater.width than the thiclmess U the neck and being w'ire gauze, and anintermediate layer of absorbent cotton disposed therebetween, an-

arranged in parallel relation to the flange of the cap and coextensivein width with said flange and disposed between the edge of the neck and'said'strainer, and means connecting the cap with the neck whereby thestrainer may be clamped with a .variable yielding pressure between saidflange of the cap and the gasket. A

I In testimon whereof'I affix my si ature; TUBMAN J. VAN ES-S'.

